[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H64]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        EXTENDING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS SHOULD BE FIRST PRIORITY

  (Mr. HONDA asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HONDA. Mr. Speaker, last November, President Bush and the 
Republican leadership turned their backs on over 1 million Americans. 
Despite repeated efforts by Democrats, President Bush and the 
Republican leadership refused to pass legislation that would have 
prevented unemployment benefits from expiring on December 28. Due to 
their inaction, over 800,000 Americans faced a holiday season full of 
uncertainty. I repeat, President Bush and the Republican leadership 
allowed over 800,000 Americans to lose their unemployment benefits on 
December 28. Mr. Speaker, this is unacceptable. In my district of Santa 
Clara County alone, over 7,000 unemployed workers were cut off from 
their benefits, and an additional 13,000 unemployed workers will lose 
their benefits if Congress does not act now.
  Mr. Speaker, 1.5 million Americans have lost their jobs since 
President Bush took office. Congress cannot continue to callously 
ignore their needs. I call on the Bush administration and the 
Republican leadership to make the extension of unemployment benefits 
the first priority of the 108th Congress.

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